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Jul 7, 2011
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number one, there's very little local government infrastructure in afghanistan. the fact that we build a road or a school doesn't mean there's a government or authority to maintain it. so we build something, the moment we turn the keys over it falls into disuse and disrepair. second, the expense of doing this is enormous. you know, it may make sense to to these civic projects that do create some good will, but to do them, mr. speaker, in a middle of a shooting war or is it better to do it before or after the war when you have a chance to -- for this implementation to occur? third, there's an immense amount of ripping off of money from the american taxpayer. it goes -- it gets lost, it gets picked up. it's too rampant in afghanistan. so according to a report in "the washington post," and, mr. speaker, i will be asking you to submit "the washington post" in the record, half of this money, minimum of $400 million, has gone missing. it's wasted and it's coming out of our taxpayer pockets. our amendment, my amendment would cut in half the $400 million, reduce it to $0
number one, there's very little local government infrastructure in afghanistan. the fact that we build a road or a school doesn't mean there's a government or authority to maintain it. so we build something, the moment we turn the keys over it falls into disuse and disrepair. second, the expense of doing this is enormous. you know, it may make sense to to these civic projects that do create some good will, but to do them, mr. speaker, in a middle of a shooting war or is it better to do it...
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Jul 13, 2011
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during its nine-year war in afghanistan. public polls are clear, americans know the cost of the war in afghanistan is unsustainable and want us to withdraw as soon as possible. when it comes to cutting back on support for the neediest americans, we can't seem to face the urgent reality that the money that we spend abroad needs to be spent here at home. the financial facts tell the story, taxpayers in my district in seattle have spent $1.1 trillion -- billion for afghanistan war to date. think about that. one city, $1.1 billion. for the same amount of money we could provide health care for 700,000 children from low-income families or put 125,000 kids in head start or health care for 150,000 more veterans. imagine how different it would be if states like wisconsin which faces a $3.6 billion budget deficit did not have to bear the cost of the war in afghanistan. so the question before us is simple, what is our priority? fighting a war with no end? or investing in the american people? the answer lies in what kind of country we a
during its nine-year war in afghanistan. public polls are clear, americans know the cost of the war in afghanistan is unsustainable and want us to withdraw as soon as possible. when it comes to cutting back on support for the neediest americans, we can't seem to face the urgent reality that the money that we spend abroad needs to be spent here at home. the financial facts tell the story, taxpayers in my district in seattle have spent $1.1 trillion -- billion for afghanistan war to date. think...
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Jul 15, 2011
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there has to be hope for the young men and women on the frontlines of iraq and afghanistan and places around the world. there has to be hope. the reason why i know there is hope is because my own industry, the energy industry, just created a program for veterans who jobs through the energy industry. i'm asking them to create one for 18 to 35-year-olds. businesses are still alive and well. the financial services, the banking entity must be involved in providing access to credit for our smaller businesses who are creating jobs. we are alive and well. and so i believe what we should do is to go forward with a package that is reasonable. that lifts the debt ceiling as we did for everyone else. i would vote for a clean debt ceiling. lift it up. then begin to with great common sense plan our budget and our cuts. mark zahny -- zandi has said that. an economist who worked for a number of republicans, such as john mccain, former presidential candidate. why are we trying to reinvent the wheel? all economists will say, you don't make immediate cuts in this fiscal year, you project them out. just
there has to be hope for the young men and women on the frontlines of iraq and afghanistan and places around the world. there has to be hope. the reason why i know there is hope is because my own industry, the energy industry, just created a program for veterans who jobs through the energy industry. i'm asking them to create one for 18 to 35-year-olds. businesses are still alive and well. the financial services, the banking entity must be involved in providing access to credit for our smaller...
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Jul 7, 2011
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and afghanistan prohibiting afghanistan from taxing u.s. subcontractors doing work in afghanistan. so this ban on levying taxes would apply to all subcontractors that may not have direct contracts with afghanistan. in other words, if a company is working on a project funded by the u.s. department of defense, whether that company is a prime contractor or subcontractor, that company should not be subject to taxes from the afghan government. seems pretty simple. these are the contractors doing the work of rebuilding in afghanistan, helping rebuild the infrastructure and hopefully allowing them to one day thrive independently. common sense and financial prudentens says the u.s. should not be subject to taxation for the rebuilding efforts it is paying for. and that was what we were getting at with this amendment. mr. kingston: i think the point that you have raised is a very valid point and something that's very good discussion matter. unfortunately, we believe that it is authorizing an appropriation as the chair has confirmed. but that probably, the concern far more than the philosophi
and afghanistan prohibiting afghanistan from taxing u.s. subcontractors doing work in afghanistan. so this ban on levying taxes would apply to all subcontractors that may not have direct contracts with afghanistan. in other words, if a company is working on a project funded by the u.s. department of defense, whether that company is a prime contractor or subcontractor, that company should not be subject to taxes from the afghan government. seems pretty simple. these are the contractors doing the...
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Jul 12, 2011
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not afghanistan. not al qaeda. but our debt. since january, 2009, $3.7 trillion has been added to the national debt. current our debt stands at $14.3 trillion. and i'm told if you add in the cost, the present day cost of all the promises that irresponsible people who stood here before me have made to the american people, that the cost would be over $70 trillion. many americans, including this one, can't even conceptualize that. can't count that high. and that's not their fault. that's this body's fault. there's a lot of fear mongering going on by people who want us to spend more. they have seen these tactics work in the past. bank bailouts. massive spending bills. even if the calamity forecast was to come to pass, it doesn't change the fact that the debt crisis we face is our fiscal sin. generations before ours and ours are responsible for it. not my kids. not your kids. and not our grandchildren. and if addressing it hurts in the short term, then i say, so be it. i reject the idea that we would pass this mess on to our kids for
not afghanistan. not al qaeda. but our debt. since january, 2009, $3.7 trillion has been added to the national debt. current our debt stands at $14.3 trillion. and i'm told if you add in the cost, the present day cost of all the promises that irresponsible people who stood here before me have made to the american people, that the cost would be over $70 trillion. many americans, including this one, can't even conceptualize that. can't count that high. and that's not their fault. that's this...
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Jul 14, 2011
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the war in afghanistan based on a misreading of history. half a trillion of dollars in expenses already. the war against libya will be $1 billion by september. 50% of our discretionary spending goes for the pentagon. a massive transfer of wealth into the hands of a few while the american people lack sufficient jobs, health care, housing, retirement security. our energy policies take the wealth from the american people and put it into the hands of the oil companies. we could be looking at $150 a barrel in the near future. our environmental policy takes the wealth of the people, clean air, clean water, and puts it in the hands of the polluters. it's a transfer of wealth. not only from the present but from future generations as our environment is ruined. insurance companies, what do they do? they take the wealth from the american people in terms of what they charge people for health insurance and they put it not -- it into the hands of the few. we have to realize what this country's economy has become. our monetary policy, through the federal
the war in afghanistan based on a misreading of history. half a trillion of dollars in expenses already. the war against libya will be $1 billion by september. 50% of our discretionary spending goes for the pentagon. a massive transfer of wealth into the hands of a few while the american people lack sufficient jobs, health care, housing, retirement security. our energy policies take the wealth from the american people and put it into the hands of the oil companies. we could be looking at $150 a...
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Jul 20, 2011
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so the iraq war and the afghanistan war. the other thing is this downturn in the economy. the downturn in the economy occurred in 2008. how did it happen, why did we have that crash of the american economy? we had it because the federal government stepped back from regulating the financial institutions, allowing them to run wild, assuming that they would be smart enough to regulate themselves. that didn't happen. they were smart enough to be extraordinarily greedy. wall street went on a greed binge and the result was the collapse of the financial industry. needless to say there were other players in this game and many americans, hundreds of thousands of americans joined in the game and took out mortgages, bought house that there was no way they could possibly afford. the financial industry, the mortgage industry and wall street bankers and we wound up with the great collapse of 2008. to deal with that the bailout of wall street occurred, most of that has now been paid back. it worked. did it work for the benefit of americans? well, it stabilized the financial institutions
so the iraq war and the afghanistan war. the other thing is this downturn in the economy. the downturn in the economy occurred in 2008. how did it happen, why did we have that crash of the american economy? we had it because the federal government stepped back from regulating the financial institutions, allowing them to run wild, assuming that they would be smart enough to regulate themselves. that didn't happen. they were smart enough to be extraordinarily greedy. wall street went on a greed...
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Jul 7, 2011
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is the afghanistan central government introducing the rule of law? have we not already defeated al qaeda? and so who are we fighting and why? for $10 billion a month, mr. speaker, our expectations as taxpayers, as americans, as members of congress should be high. is it too much to think that $10 billion a month to buy a stable ally, ally capable of standing on its own two feet, taking responsibility for its own security and having respect for the rule of law? instead, corruption and chaos are ruling the day in kabul. basic government institutions are failing to provide services. president karzai has tried to establish a special court, in fact, for the purpose of stripping 62 members of parliament of their seats and the financial system is teetering on the brink of collapse. with the head of the central bank fleeing the country and accusing karzai's regime of fraud and cronism. just a few days ago, mr. speaker, a brawl broke out on the floor of the afghanistan parliament with one member throwing a shoe at another member when a motion was proposed to i
is the afghanistan central government introducing the rule of law? have we not already defeated al qaeda? and so who are we fighting and why? for $10 billion a month, mr. speaker, our expectations as taxpayers, as americans, as members of congress should be high. is it too much to think that $10 billion a month to buy a stable ally, ally capable of standing on its own two feet, taking responsibility for its own security and having respect for the rule of law? instead, corruption and chaos are...
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Jul 14, 2011
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in afghanistan we spend $325 billion -- million a day and in iraq we've spent about $100 million a day. that's almost $1 billion a day. we're talking about $950 -- almost $1 billion in light rail. we can both be right and smart and compassionate if we do the right thing. in our budgeting process we should have an unexpected fund for unforeseen circumstances, we should have learned from katrina. we're looking at probably about $4 billion in term of army corps of engineers. i think our leaderships need to get together and just say that we can do this without fighting among each other, without making each other wrong. because that's wrong. in the eyes of the public, they want us to do the job that needs to get done and have our leadership do that. and so my plea is that we can be fiscally responsible and we can be compassionate and we do that with good planning and good budgeting process, including having contingency funds that should have been there. and so we have an opportunity right now to show the public that we can do all these things and still come out winners for those who need th
in afghanistan we spend $325 billion -- million a day and in iraq we've spent about $100 million a day. that's almost $1 billion a day. we're talking about $950 -- almost $1 billion in light rail. we can both be right and smart and compassionate if we do the right thing. in our budgeting process we should have an unexpected fund for unforeseen circumstances, we should have learned from katrina. we're looking at probably about $4 billion in term of army corps of engineers. i think our...
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Jul 28, 2011
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it says that, imagine that we're at war for 10 years, in afghanistan and iraq at surge levels. we assume we're going to be fighting this war for 10 more years, with over 100,000 troops in afghanistan and oh, gosh, wait, we're going to withdraw our troops in 2014. $1 trillion in savings. i've got a better idea. let's pass a bill to cover the moon with yogurt that will cost $5 trillion today. and then let's pass a bill the next day to cancel that bill. we could save $5 trillion. wait, i've got a better idea. our debt is $14 trillion. let's come up with a new plan to spend $14 trillion, then rescind it the next day and let's save $14 trillion. this stuff is fiscal fantasy. you can't make this stuff up, mr. speaker. suggesting that we're going to be in a war at these levels for 10 more years when everybody knows we've already decided not to do that, that does not get us $1.3 trillion in spending cuts. only in washington can you add up math like that. we need real spending cuts. i yield myself an additional minute to say, this is getting serious, mr. speaker. very serious. we can't
it says that, imagine that we're at war for 10 years, in afghanistan and iraq at surge levels. we assume we're going to be fighting this war for 10 more years, with over 100,000 troops in afghanistan and oh, gosh, wait, we're going to withdraw our troops in 2014. $1 trillion in savings. i've got a better idea. let's pass a bill to cover the moon with yogurt that will cost $5 trillion today. and then let's pass a bill the next day to cancel that bill. we could save $5 trillion. wait, i've got a...
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Jul 12, 2011
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their skills that they're bringing back, they are companies specifically going after returning iraq and afghanistan veterans to be able to hire them. it was interesting, we were talking about drilling and you go into a drilling platform and they say their favorite people to be able to hire are tank drivers returning from the war zone because they're used to driving equipment, looking on a screen and dealing with multiple things all at once. these are folks employing our veterans and they're engaged in providing great jobs. i was on a fracking site, being able to watch it. it's high tech job, people on computers, as well as people in pumping, trucks, people providing food, people providing the equipment, it's people with big wrenches and people with small computers. and you see this multitude of different jobs provided by oil and natural gas and by fossil fuels we're producing right here in america. we are at a moment that we can either say, we want all green jobs, we want to destroy the jobs producing fossil fuels, or we can say, let's do both. let's encourage the growth of green jobs but let's not
their skills that they're bringing back, they are companies specifically going after returning iraq and afghanistan veterans to be able to hire them. it was interesting, we were talking about drilling and you go into a drilling platform and they say their favorite people to be able to hire are tank drivers returning from the war zone because they're used to driving equipment, looking on a screen and dealing with multiple things all at once. these are folks employing our veterans and they're...
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Jul 26, 2011
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brave men and women in uniform who have given their lives in the service of our nation in iraq and afghanistan and their families and of all who serve in our armed forces and their families. the chair: without objection, two-minute voting will continue. the unfinished business is the request for a railroaded -- vord -- recorded vote on amendment number 2 by the gentleman from illinois, mr. rush, on which further proceedings were postponed, on which the noes prevailed by voice vote. the clerk will redesignate the amendment. the clerk: amendment number 2 printed in house report 112-181, offered by mr. rush of illinois. the chair: a recorded vote has been requested. a sufficient number having risen, a recorded vote is ordered. this will be a two-minute vote, followed by a series of additional two-minute votes. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of represent
brave men and women in uniform who have given their lives in the service of our nation in iraq and afghanistan and their families and of all who serve in our armed forces and their families. the chair: without objection, two-minute voting will continue. the unfinished business is the request for a railroaded -- vord -- recorded vote on amendment number 2 by the gentleman from illinois, mr. rush, on which further proceedings were postponed, on which the noes prevailed by voice vote. the clerk...
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Jul 11, 2011
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one out of every six department of defense dollars is going to afghanistan. we got the taliban out of power. karzai stood for free elections in 2004. al qaeda was dismantled and sent into western pakistan. this is not a nation-building exercise. this is a counter-terror exercise. we do not need 100,000 troops on the ground of the cost we're paying today in order to get the job done. [applause] thank you. i am here to tell you the future of the united states is not going to be determined in the prairies of afghanistan. the future of the united states is going to be determined by how well-prepared we are to compete in a highly competitive 21st century. that battle will be waged across the pacific ocean. we have some work to do. as you walk out of this building, i want you to remember why we're in this race. it is because it is about the generation and we're about to pass the country to and the condition in which they will find it. my priorities will be debt and spending. we have no choice. trajectory we're on is unsustainable. launching a new industrial revolut
one out of every six department of defense dollars is going to afghanistan. we got the taliban out of power. karzai stood for free elections in 2004. al qaeda was dismantled and sent into western pakistan. this is not a nation-building exercise. this is a counter-terror exercise. we do not need 100,000 troops on the ground of the cost we're paying today in order to get the job done. [applause] thank you. i am here to tell you the future of the united states is not going to be determined in the...
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Jul 28, 2011
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right now we borrow $10 billion every month for military operations in afghanistan alone to prop up a corrupt and incompetent karzai government. how about ending wasteful subsidies to big agriculture companies? how about asking billionaire hedge fund managers to pay the same tax rates as their secretaries? the truth is that the best way to deal with our long-term fiscal situation is to grow our economy. that means creating jobs and putting people back to work. the last election i thought was about jobs. we haven't talked about jobs at all since the new republican majority became -- came to power. that means investing in things like education and infrastructure and green technology and medical research. that's the kind of economic future the american people deserve. the boehner default plan would take us exactly in the wrong direction and urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to reject it. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from california has 5 1/2 minutes remaining. the gentleman is re
right now we borrow $10 billion every month for military operations in afghanistan alone to prop up a corrupt and incompetent karzai government. how about ending wasteful subsidies to big agriculture companies? how about asking billionaire hedge fund managers to pay the same tax rates as their secretaries? the truth is that the best way to deal with our long-term fiscal situation is to grow our economy. that means creating jobs and putting people back to work. the last election i thought was...
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Jul 18, 2011
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they're putting money in other places like to the war, places like that in afghanistan, to other wars. that is my question. guest: two interesting things your question brings up. when fdr desigd so security, he said, we're going to put it on your checks every week so you will see it being taken out and you will note it is there for you. that was very, very important to fdr and the preservation of the social safety net. also, he said, we are going to make sure that every time >> "washington journal" begins live every morning at 7:00 a.m. eastern. live to capitol hill now. oklahoma senator tom coburn is about to release his plan to cut the deficit by $9 trillion over the next decade. >> good afternoon. thank you for being here. let me first of all thank my staff, who has worked thousands of hours the last six weeks to accumulate, sifted through every agency and every program of the federal government. you are going to see in this report details like you have never seen. this is a plan, not the only plan, but it is the only plan that will put our country back on a footing in needs to be
they're putting money in other places like to the war, places like that in afghanistan, to other wars. that is my question. guest: two interesting things your question brings up. when fdr desigd so security, he said, we're going to put it on your checks every week so you will see it being taken out and you will note it is there for you. that was very, very important to fdr and the preservation of the social safety net. also, he said, we are going to make sure that every time >>...